Tinder rapist and fraudster jailed for abusing single women

A “manipulative and violent” rapist who defrauded women of more than £210,000 through romance scams has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Christopher Harkins targeted nine single women on dating websites and tried to gain their trust by posing as a successful businessman.

He then claimed to have problems with his bank account being blocked and asked some of his victims to lend him money for a short period of time, prosecutors said.

Several women borrowed significant sums to help Harkins. The perpetrator left a “trail of emotional devastation and financial hardship,” as the judge described it.

The 37-year-old used his victims’ names to take out short-term loans and forced one of them to open an online betting account in her name.